Attachment for typewriters



May 2, 1939. 1.. s.- ALCORN ATTACHMENT FOB TYPEWRITERS Filed June 16, 1938 Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to an improved manuscript holder particularly-adapted for use in conjunction with typewriters.

It is anaim of this invention to provide a manuscript holder of very simple construction which may be readily attached to any conventional typewriter to position a manuscript or other material to be copied at an angle directly above the typewriter and in the normal plane of vision of the typist.

A further object of the invention, is to provide a platform for holding the manuscript or copy work, pivotally mounted and adapted to be held at an incline with its lower end toward the typist, when the platform is in position for use, said platform being mounted to swing upwardly and rearwardly away from the typewriter for attaching the holder to or detaching it from the machine.

The principal advantage of the invention resides in the fact that the device is of a very simple yet durable construction, adapted to be used in conjunction with any conventional typewriter, and requires no nuts or bolts or other fastenings to attach it to the typewriter, and so constructed that it may be used for other purposes than with a typewriter as the holder is constructed to stand on any horizontal surface and support a manuscript at an angle thereto.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing which illustrates a preferred form of the invention, and wherein:--

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the manuscript holder,

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the same,

Figure 3 is "a vertical central sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figures 4 and 5 are transverse vertical sectional views taken on the lines 4-4 and 5--5 respectively of Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, In designates generally the two corresponding uprights having the rearwardly curved upper end II and the forwardly extending feet l2 disposed substantially at right angles to the intermediate portion l3. Uprights ID are retained in spaced relationship to each other by the diagonally disposed cross braces I having their opposite ends l5 bent to lie flush with the 5): adjacent sides of the intermediate portion I3 and to be secured thereto by the fastenings l6. Uprights ID are twisted at IT so that the plane of the intermediate portion [3 and ends H are substantially at rightangles to the plane of the feet 12 topermit the feet to rest flat on a supporting surface.

A platform designated generally l8 and comprising a bottom or base I9 and upwardly extending sides 20, is pivotally connected adjacent its rear end to the curved ends ll, intermediate the ends of said curved portion, by the nuts and bolt 2| which extend through sides 20 and through ends I I to pivotally mount the platform l8 between the uprights I0. As best seen in Figure 4, sides 20 adjacent their rear end are provided with the outwardly extending studs 22 having the heads 23.

Studs 22 are adapted to engage the notches 24 in the under edge of ends II, which are disposed at equal distance on either side of the pivot bolt 2 I, to retain the platform I8 in an operable position, as seen in Figures 1, 2 and 3 or in an inoperative position as seen in dotted lines in Figure 3. One of the sides 20 adjacent its free end is provided with an outwardly extending knob or handle 25 by means of which platform. I 8 may be raised or lowered.

The manuscript holder as heretofore described, is adapted to stand on its feet l2 to support a manuscript or other written matter, not shown, on the bottom IQ of the platform l8 when said platform is in its full line position as seen in the drawing, to position the manuscript at a convenient angle for reading. However, the device is particularly adapted for use in combination with a conventional typewriter and the uprights ID are adapted to be positioned behind the typewriter with the feet l2 positioned beneath the typewriter, and the platform I8 is positioned in its dotted line position while the holder is being placed for use with a typewriter, after which platform I8 is swung forwardly and downwardly to be disposed above the typewriter with its forward end inclined downwardly so that the upper side of the bottom I9 is in the normal line of vision of the typist. Platform I8 is of proper shape and size to receive conventional size sheets of paper from which copies are to be made on the typewriter, or may be used to hold a conventional stenographers short hand book for use by the stenographer in typing from short hand notes.

It is to be understood that only the preferred form of the invention has been shown and. described for the purpose of illustration, and the right is reserved to make such variations and changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts as will not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the class described comprising spaced connected uprights having forwardly extending portions forming supporting feet, said uprights being bent rearwardly at their upper ends, and a platform pivotally mounted adjacent its rear end on said uprights intermediate of their curved portions, said platform being pro-- vided with outwardly extending lugs adjacent its rear end to engage the ends of said uprights to retain the platform in an inclined position.

2. In a manuscript holder, a pair of spaced uprights bent at their lower ends to form horizontal feet adapted to be positioned under the back of a typewriter, the opposite ends of said uprights being curved in the opposite direction to said feet, a platform pivotally mounted between said uprights intermediate of their curved portions, and lugs projecting outwardly from an end of said platform and adjacent its pivoted point, said lugs engaging the curved ends of said uprights to retain the platform in an inclined position above the typewriter.

3. A device as in claim 2, and a handle projecting outwardly from said platform adjacent its free end and by means of which said platform may be swung upwardly and rearwardly causing the lugs to engage the uprights beneath the pivot point of the platform to position the platform in a plane substantially corresponding to the curved ends of the uprights for attaching and detaching the device.

4. In amanuscript holder, spaced vertical uprights having rearwardly curved upper ends and forwardly extending horizontal feet adapted to be positioned beneath the rear end of a typewriter, and a platform pivotally mounted adjacent its rear end intermediate of the curved ends of said uprights, said platform being provided with outwardly extending stops at its rear end to engage the rear edge of the curved portion of said uprights on opposite sides of their pivot points to retain the platform in an operative position above the typewriter or in an inoperative position to the rear of the typewriter.

5. A device as in claim 4, said platform comprising a floor and integral upwardly extending sides, and a handle projecting outwardly from one of said sides and adjacent the free end of the platform for moving it relatively to said uprights.

LESTER G. ALCORN. 

